New software for the call centre team who manage booking appointments at Stepping Hill Hospital is improving service for patients.

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s acute booking team contact centre is the main contact point for patients who are contacting the hospital regarding their appointment. The current call centre has seen an increase in demand from average 8000 calls a month in 2018 to 16,800 calls a month in 2019, which meant call waiting times went up in the same period. In some cases callers could be cut off during busy periods.

The new improved software means callers can be directed more quickly and efficiently to the relevant department that they need. Call times are significantly reduced and callers are not cut off, making for a better and more user-friendly experience for the caller.

The system also allows better data analysis of the calls which are coming in, which allows the team to make the best use of their capacity, managing the staffing levels to meet demand over the period of the working day.

The new software is part of an overall project to communicate better with patients and staff; improving the internal telecommunication system for staff, helping to provide videoconferencing consultations for patients in their homes, and enhancing the main hospital switchboard service.

Hugh Mullen, Deputy Chief Executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust said “The acute booking team are a crucial part of ensuring patients receive the care and treatment they need, and they have been coping well with increasing demand for years. The new software is helping them to provide a faster and more efficient service for their callers, which is good news for everyone. We look forward to further planned improvements in our telecommunications which will benefit both patients and staff.”